Austrian MP Martin Graf proposed last week a unified Tyrol and the annexation of its southern side to Austria. South Tyrol currently falls within Italian borders despite being a German-speaking territory. Graf, who is a member of the Freedom Party of Austria (Freiheitliche Partei Österreichs, FPÖ, formerly led by right wing politician Jörg Haider), has been strongly criticized by Austrian and Italian politicians. However, statements by South Tyrolean leaders have been much more ambiguous.

Reaction by president of South Tyrol Luis Durnwalder, for instance, has been worth mentioning. He has dissociated himself from Graf -a politician involved in Pan German and Holocaust-denial organizations, according to Reuters' correspondent Mark Heinrich- by calling "irresponsible" the MP's remarks. In an interview for the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera, South Tyrolean president has defended the current "legislative and administrative" autonomy enjoyed by South Tyrol, although he has warned that the present state of affairs could not last forever and that existing self-government could be now under threat.

If Rome suppressed the autonomy for South Tyrol, Durnwalder pointed out, it would be time to reconsider the future of the country. He further added that it would be easy to get a majority in favour of secession within six months if the special statute of the region was watered down and turned into an ordinary region. He himself would be supporting annexation to Austria, declared.

Second party backs full independence

Second larger political party in the South Tyrolean assembly, The Liberals (Die Freiheitlichen, which has close ties with Austrian FPÖ), has also expressed its views on the matter. Secretary-general of the party, Ulli Mair, has said that the future of the country could only be granted by full independence, but annexation to Austria cannot be ruled out and should be decided upon by South Tyrolean citizens.

Sven Knoll, deputy of the third South Tyrolean nationalist party, South Tyrolean Freedom (Süd-Tiroler Freiheit, a member of the European Free Alliance), has censured Durnwalder and the president of the Austrian Land of Tyrol for criticizing Graf. According to Knoll, opinion polls in recent years have shown that the majority of the South Tyrolean population wants to break away from Italy. Like Durnwalder, though, he said that the autonomous status is under threat. The right to self-determination should be implemented to "leave all possibilities opened", he added